Finn
by maytheoddsbeeverinmyfavor
Summary: The story of Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta and their journey through war, love, and games.
1. Chapter 1

"Hurry up and catch me a fish, will you?" The sun beat down onto my face, on the warm April day as I sprawled across the coarse sand, getting the dry crystals lodged in my hair. I clutched my rope in my hands as I twisted and knotted it until something that looked like a net was formed. I set it on the sand, pleased with my creation, until, piece by piece, the rope fell apart, self-destroying the hard work I had put into it.

"Well Miss Cresta... If you think it's so easy, why don't you try?" I looked up from where I was perfectly comfortable being lazy and gave Fin my best glare, and of course, he just laughed and went back to catching a us a decent meal while I picked up my rope once again and went to work.

"You got me there, you know I can't catch anything with a trident. That's why I have you as my hunting partner." I pushed myself off the sand, throwing down my rope and walked down to the waters edge, splashing around in the shallow waves. Finnick knew better than to let me go anywhere near that weapon. Last time, I almost poked his eye out, as well as cutting my neck so severely that he had to race me back to his mother to patch me up. I couldn't leave the house to make nets until two weeks later.

"And a real great help you are to me." He said sarcastically, splashing water towards me, getting the tips of my sandy hair wet. I ignored his childish acts and wrung out my damp locks, as another splash of water hit me again, this time fully soaking my hair and face.

"Stop Finnick! We're not supposed to be here and you're just making it more evident. Bad enough you're soaked, doesn't mean I have to get in trouble too" I raced out of the waves laughing before he could do something to make me regret coming out to the lake today, but slowed to a stop when I heard the shout of voices in the distance.

My heartbeat slowed to a near stop as I took a cautious step closer to the now louder voices. I didn't fully understand the mumbles from the people, but I assumed that my predictions were accurate.

I steadily turned, careful where I stepped, as I didn't want my feet to land on any twigs, or crunch a shell in the process, for that would not be good. I made eye contact with Fin, for the silence between us was deafening, yet the voices in the distance grew more and more forceful. Slowly, I squatted down and tapped my fingers to the ground, lifting them up and pressed them to the warm surface again, alerting the boy in the water to make an inaudible escape from the open shores.

Disappearing under the water was his cue to me that he would be okay and that now it was on my shoulder to find a way out; he would swim away and find me by the field that separated his house from mine.

Silently, I slipped away from the sandy beach and into the woods. As soon as I was at a secure distance away from the beach, I broke into a sprint, gliding through the trees and branches, occasionally tripping and stumbling on loose weeds. Even the grace I had from racing this path for years didn't stop the roots to grow from trees, and it certainly didn't stop the Peacekeepers from checking the area.

As the green wonderland of forests passed by my eyes, I could only hope that Finnick was okay, and that he as well, had gotten out. If I was lucky, he made it out unnoticed and the only witnesses were the mockingjays in the distance and the clouds drifting by. Although, if he was unlucky…

I wasn't going to think about the consequences of that because at times like this, I needed to stay positive, in hope that the only person I can threaten is myself.

In the space before me, I could make out a wide meadow, notifying me that I have successfully reached my destination. Gathering twigs and branches was my way of occupying myself as I waited for my companion to return from our adventure. Sadly, this meant that we wouldn't be bringing home any fish tonight, so fresh leaves and berries is what we were stuck with. Not the worst, but exceedingly far from the best.

The quick snap of stems was how I knew I wasn't alone, but I knew this couldn't have been my friend, because Finnick Odair would not have broken the stems. He would know to step over them, disguising the fact he was there. What surprised me was to see my hunting partner standing before me.

Holding up my forgotten rope.

Along with two Peacekeepers.


	2. Chapter 2

I could see the look of pain on Finnick's face along with two deep gashes across his shoulders and right leg. I mentally whacked myself for being foolish enough to leave a rope lying on a beach forbidden for anyone to come across, other than Peacekeepers or the Mayor.

"Is this your cable?" The taller of the two Peacekeepers asked me, his voice deep and strong, his face a mix of rage, furry, and I could almost spot a hint of sympathy in his eyes, but ignored it, figuring it must have just been in my head. He dropped Finnick down and lifted the net with both hands, as if to say, 'This isn't the same type of rope that is sold in the stores.'

Out of the corner of my eye Finnick placed his bruised and bloody hand down on the ground, lifted it and tapped it again, telling me to save myself, to lie, and to let him take the blame, but I am not losing my hunting partner anytime soon.

I stood up shakily, looked him dead in the eyes and nodded my head, preparing for the worst. He could beat me, whip me, send me to the capitol, or kill me right here.

Walking over to where I was standing, I leaned back, almost cowering in fear as he slapped me once across the face with his rough glove. I could feel my eyes tear up and taste the blood in my mouth as he pushed me to the ground, and kicked me multiple times. In the stomach, in the knee, and once in the neck, causing me to thrash out and whimper in pain. Seeing my misery was his cue that he had done his job well done proceeded to leave forest, his sidekick trailing along beside him, kicking Finnick before leaving.

Once they were out of earshot, I screamed.

I screamed and screamed until I was breathless. Until I got all the days anger and sorrow out me. Then all was silent. All that was heard was the rustling of the wind through the trees.

Until Fin looked me right in the eyes and mumbled so softly so that I had to almost lean in to fully catch what he was muttering.

"You shouldn't have taken the blame Annie, you need to stop being so heroic sometimes." He got up trembling, worn out from the previous events and crawled over to lie down beside me, leaving a trail of blood behind him, proof of the previous events.

"It's my fault they even got us." He whispered again.

"It's my fault I left the rope."

"It's my fault I didn't take it with me."

"It's their fault for caring." I ended wiping the dried blood and dirt from my face, along with the wet tears, for I hadn't realized that I was still crying. I was numb with pain and sick with fear, and looked over at my friend to see him tearing up too, and I looked down as I saw blood leaking from his body, he looked pale and weak.

I stood up, dusting myself off. Looking up at the slowly dimming sky, I thought about how fretful our mothers must be, we had been gone for almost five hours.

"Annie," He croaked out, and I only sat there and watched him get up, reaching his hand out to me, and I could only feel myself reach back and be pulled up off the ground and into a stiff hug.

"We should probably head back." I nodded back to him, releasing myself from his firm grip. I threw his arm over my shoulder as I helped him through the woods. It would be a long way to his or my own family's house, and partially carrying him would take some more time as well. I figured we wouldn't be back home until an hour's time.

Treading through the trees on a dull light from the forest canopy was hard enough, but carrying someone also was even harder.

I occasionally stopped to regain my strength and allow Finnick to rest in the leaves, than picking myself back up and restarting my journey. As I kept walking I could see a faint light in the distance and knew that we were slowly approaching our destination.

Mother was going to be disappointed that we didn't get her or Mrs. Odair any food, but it was that or our lives, although I'm still not sure what the better option was. More or less crawling up the steps, I pounded my fist onto the door, demanding that someone opened it. I could hear people talking from the inside and threw my fist onto the door harder, shouting for my mother.

Slowly, the door opened and my mother looked down at Finnick, mouth agape, and me almost to shocked to speak. Then from around the corner came Mrs. Odair, who looked worried, but not surprised and rushed us inside.

"Explain." Finnick's Mother looked down at me as my own mother placed Finnick on the couch and started feeding him concoctions and wrapping him in bandages.

"We went fishing, and we heard voices, so we ran. Everything would have been fine, if I hadn't left my netting, but of course, I did." I short handedly told her.

I got up and walked over to where Finn was lying on the couch and crouched down in front of him, laying a hand to his forehead, and accepting no fever, tugged on the ends of his sleeves, waking him from almost falling asleep.

"Promise me you'll catch me a fish soon?" I asked him, hoping he'd be back on his feet soon, because as good as berries were, we wouldn't last three days on a diet of only them.

"Sure, I'm healing quickly. I'll be fine by tomorrow.

"You should heal up though. Rest. You got to be able to stand at the Reaping tomorrow, they're not going to let you sit."


	3. Chapter 3

I squinted up at my window, the bright light blinding me from the edges of the curtains, and got up out of bed. Today was going to be dreadful, as it always was, seeing someone you may not even know and their families crying their hearts out and knowing that they would be losing someone in their hearts, it is horrendous.

Opening the window, I looked up at the sky; the bright blue and gorgeous clouds were extremely out of contrast for this day.

"Annie, you get dressed and come down here now, we leave in twenty minutes!" My mother's voice knocked me out of my trance and caused me to rush to my drawers, pulling out my simple, white dress and throwing it over my head. I ran downstairs and grabbed a fresh handful of berries and munched on them happily, knowing that I had to find Fin.

I ran outside and down the street, jumping over rocks and pebbles. The sun shone down on me as my hair floated behind me. It felt amazing to be running with the wind and made me forget the upcoming events. I dashed into his house and up the stairs to his room and knocked softly on the door.

"Who is it?" A voice called from inside the room.

"Ann-" The door opened before I could finish answering and I was pulled inside. The inside of the room was dusty and cold, but I didn't mind. I had gotten used to the living ways of District Four, as I grew older understanding that we didn't choose our lives; that was the capitals job.

I felt a pair of familiar arms wrap around me tightly, and I clung back on to them, not wanting to let go first.

"Annie, Look." He pulled away from me, looking me square in the eyes, not breaking eye contact. "After the reaping, we'll go right to the lake, okay? Just you and I, catch a load of fish."

"You'll catch the fish, I'll watch." I corrected him, trying to laugh, but all that came out of my mouth was a hoarse cackle. The hits from yesterday had healed into dark bruises and scars and it stung to look at.

"Deal." We shook hands, trying to break the uneasy tension that this day brings for everyone.

"Let's head into town, shall we?" I opened the door for him as we both walked out of his house and down the path, towards the town center, where everyone was gathering together for the Reaping. I gave Finnick a reassuring hug goodbye and walked over to the girl's section of the center. I saw the grief and sadness struck across the faces of all the people I knew, whether or not they were possibly entering the games.

"Simmer down!" A raspy voice called and we all looked up nervously as a tall man stood center stage with two bowls of names in front of him.

"Welcome to the Reaping for the 65th Annual Hunger Games! Exciting, Exciting…" He walked over slowly to one of the bowls.

"Well, no dilly-dallying, ladies first!" I looked over at Fin and saw him looking down; he was praying that it wouldn't be me.

As his hand lifted out of the bowl, I knew that one girl's fate lied in his hand, and many girls were already on the edge of tears.

"Sophia Ross." A mix of screams, sobs, and weeping spread through the crowd. I looked over at Finnick and he shot me an apology smile, which I just returned back with a sad glare.

Sophia walked up to the stage, her head held up high, a grimace etched on her face. I had not known Sophia well, but seeing anyone face death's door was sad. Her mother was in the back row sobbing, along with her little sister, who was trying to run to the stage, but kept getting blocked off by angry peacekeepers.

"Come up here Miss Ross, How are you? Let's see who will be accompanying you to this years games." The announcer spoke clearly, as if he didn't notice all the crying people.

"Let's just pick a name, here we go." The screaming in the background, made me unaware that he had already picked a name out of the clear bowl.

"Finnick Odair."

Suddenly I felt weak in the knees and faint in the head. There was a buzzing in my ears and a child was wailing in the crowd, I was getting a little annoyed, until I realized I was the one screaming.

I ran towards the stage, reaching out to him, and I saw him herded up the stairs to the building. Two peacekeepers blocked me off from contact, sweeping me away and back towards the otherwise now silent audience. I could only cry out his name one more time before all went black.


End file.
